1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pattern data processing apparatus for a sewing machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a pattern data processing apparatus for a sewing machine wherein arrangement positions of a plurality of character patterns and an allowable maximum character number of character patterns are set in advance for each of a plurality of frame patterns in order to produce composite pattern data in accordance with a composite pattern, including a frame pattern and a plurality of character patterns in combination, which can be sewn with an attractive appearance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, electronic zigzag sewing machines are commonly known which have an embroidering apparatus on which sewing of patterns can be performed, including character patterns such as numerals, alphabets and kana characters, and frame patterns, such as an arcuate pattern and a rectangular pattern. Such an embroidering apparatus is removably attached in order to sew various patterns in addition to practical patterns such as straight stitches, zigzag stitches and fancy stitches.
In a sewing machine which employs such an embroidering apparatus, a plurality of pattern data (stitch data) for sewing such character patterns and frame patterns are individually stored in advance in a corresponding relationship to pattern codes in a pattern data memory inside or outside the sewing machine. Thus, pattern data of a selected pattern are read out from the pattern data memory, and unit patterns of desired character patterns and a frame pattern or patterns can be successively sewn on a work fabric which is fed by the embroidering apparatus in accordance with the pattern data thus read out.
Accordingly, when an operator wants to form a composite pattern, including a frame pattern and a plurality of character patterns in combination, on the work fabric, the frame pattern which creates a reference pattern is first selected and sewn at a desired position of the work fabric. Then, each of the plurality of character patterns is sewn at a desired position of the work fabric while moving the work fabric to form the composite pattern. A so-called name tag is thus produced with a composite pattern.
As described just above, when the composite pattern, including a frame pattern and a plurality of character patterns in combination, is to be formed by a sewing machine employing such conventional embroidering apparatus, an operator will set a sewing position for the formation of each pattern while manually moving the work fabric. Accordingly, the sewing machine employing such conventional embroidering apparatus is disadvantageous because often an arrangement position of an entire character pattern line including a plurality of character patterns is not aligned or oriented properly with respect to a frame pattern. Further, particularly when a large number of character patterns to be formed are involved, the number of character patterns which can be formed with respect to a desired frame pattern must be determined, for example, by performing test sewing of a plurality of such character patterns in advance, which complicates the sewing procedure of a composite pattern.